bystanders

plural of bystander
as in spectators
someone who sees or watches something bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bystanders By the time first responders arrived, Munoz was being pulled from the water by bystanders. Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026 Both were bystanders and not involved in the altercation, police said. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 Authorities have arrested an armed man who allegedly lunged at Democratic candidate for Ohio governor Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair, injuring several bystanders in the process. Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026 The 54-year-old man and 42-year-old woman were bystanders and not involved in the altercation, according to preliminary investigation. Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Local authorities said the 44-year-old woman suffered several broken bones in Monday morning's crash in Prospect Park but survived after roughly six bystanders joined officers to lift the vehicle and pull her to safety, FOX 29 reported. Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 At one point during the fight, another Keystone Oaks coach, Joseph Kobiak, 35, and the Canton were seen throwing a punch at the other's head as bystanders looked on and called to watch the kids, according to the video and the criminal complaint. Matt Foster, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 When the boy and his grandmother got into difficulty in the water, his siblings, ages 4 and 6, yelled to attract the attention of bystanders. Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026 The Kia caught fire after the collision, though bystanders were able to extinguish it. Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bystanders
Noun
  • In 2025, the Bruins recorded their worst home attendance at the Rose Bowl since the team moved there in 1982, averaging 37,282 spectators per game — far below the stadium’s capacity of 92,542.
    Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The release also predicted a total of 80,000 spectators to attend the multi-day event, with additional programming planned for the Charlotte Convention Center.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • There aren’t any observers there to do the measurement or to collapse the wave function.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
  • While the result is not in doubt, external observers will be paying close attention to voter turnout and the margin of United Russia’s victory for any signs of public discontent after more than four-and-a-half years of war.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • When his not-so-short film finally dropped, viewers were taken on a tour of Drake’s sumptuous lifestyle and summer antics.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
  • To its credit, the film does not spend too much time explaining the book beyond its general thesis, prompting any unfamiliar viewers to go and discover it on their own.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bystanders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bystanders. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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